Parts cleaning machine



Get. 2, 1951 H. w. BEACH 2,570,021

PARTS CLEANING MACHINE Filed March 6, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet l y zy l 45 a 45.6 1 1/ a .J 1 I A v 22 o J k l H 2-25 Mil 2 J6 a? 37 i, Inventor J fzzmazd j'l ffieav 0d. 2, 1951 H, w, CH 2,570,021

PARTS CLEANING MACHINE Filed March 6, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I n uerl tar Oct. 2, 1951 H. w. BEACH PARTS CLEANING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 6, 1945 r m m m D jroi la ua B y and Patented Oct. 2, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PARTS CLEANING MACHINE I Harold W. Beach, Abilene, Kans.

Application March 6, 1945, Serial No. 581,200

, 1 Claim.

This invention relates to a machine for cleaning productionparts, or parts of machines and tools, and one of its objects is to provide a machine which will rinse the parts to be treated by sprays projected from different directions, to produce the maximum cleansing effect.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a parts cleaning machine with means for circulating the cleansing solution through the machine sprays, under air pressure supplied to a general reservoir or supplytank.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a parts cleaning machine, with means for filtering the cleaning'fiuid or solution and for returning filtered solution to the supply tank for reuse in the machine.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a cleaning machine with a cover having drip collector'beads formed on the internal face thereof, so that condensation can be drained back into main chamber.

With the above and other objects in view the invention 'consistsin certain new and useful constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts, clearly described in the following specification, and fully illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through the machine taken on a line I-I of Figure 4, looking in the direction of arrows.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view through the main supply tank, the associated valves, the main chamber drain and the solution filter.

Figure 3 is a detail plan view of a distributor.

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a detail vertical sectional view of an adjustable spray nozzle.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which a practical example of my invention is shown, 5 designates supporting steel legs, which carry the dome-shaped bottom 6 of the cylinder wall I, which is united to the marginal edge of the bottom by means of the joint seam 8.

At the center of the dome-shaped bottom wall 6 a drain opening 9 is formed and below this drain opening a drain vessel or container I0 is attached to the outer surface of the bottom 6.

Over the dome-shaped bottom 6 a screen mesh fabric I I is disposed, and the center of this screen mesh is pierced by means of the nozzle I2, which is adjustable in the tube I3, which is closed at its lower end. This tube I3 is equipped with a gland nut I4, to prevent leakage through the joint established between the nozzle and the tube I3.

Around the nozzle I2 a spray ring I5 is arranged, and this ring is made up of companion sections I5a and I5b, which are coupled to each other by the connections I50. The section I5a is supplied with cleansing fluid through the pipe I6, which is extended through the dome-shaped bottom wall 6, and sealed thereon by the clamp nuts I7. This pipe or conduit is then coupled with the distributor I8. From this distributor another pipe or conduit I9 extends through the dome-shaped bottom 6, and is coupled to the bottom of the tube I3, to supply cleansing fluid to the central spray nozzle I2.

Above the screen II a larger spray ring 20 is located, which includes the sections 20a and 201), which are connected to each other by means of the couplings 200. The section 20a is supplied with cleaning fluid from the pipe 2I, which is extended through the side of the cylinder 1, and at its lower end is connected to the distributor I8. The section 2% is connected to the supply pipe 22, which is extended through the wall of the cylinder 1, and at its lower end is connected to the distributor I8. The section I51) of the lower spray ring I5 is connected to the supply pipe 24, which is extended through the bottom 5, and is then coupled to the distributor I8.

The filter 23 is coupled to the drain vessel It by the pipe 23a, and discharges into the pipe 26, which communicates with the valve housing 27, and this valve housing discharges into the supply tank 28.

The distributor I8 is coupled to the supply tank 23 by means of the pipe 29, which is equipped with a valve housing 39. The discharge pipe from the filter pierces the upper wall of the supply tank, above the level of the supply, and the feed pipe 28 which supplies the distributor I8 extends into the tank 28 well below its level of its supply.

Flow is maintained from the supply tank, which is shown to be located below the bottom 6, by means of air which is supplied under pressure through the spring pressed valve 30, which operates in the valve housing 3 I to which the air conduit or pipe 32 is connected.

Flow through the air supply conduit 32 is manually controlled by means of the spring pressed Valve 33, which works in the housing 34, to which the intake pipe 35 is connected. The stem of the valve 33 is extended through the gland nut 36 and is engaged by the link 31, which has its lower end pivotally connected to the lever 33, which is pivoted at 39 to one of the supporting legs 5.

When pressure air is supplied to the valve housing 34 and the foot operated valve 63 is operated, by the depression of the lever 38, pressure air will flow into the supply tank, thus producing pressure over the contained cleaning fluid, and this pressure will tend to force the cleaning fluid through the distributor and thence through the central nozzle and the spray rings.

The force of the sprays may be thus increased or diminished at will, by varying the release of the air pressure, and by increasing the pressure of the air used, or by using lower air pressure.

All fluid supplied to the upper spray ring will flow into the drain vessel, and thence to. the filter.

But some of the fluid supplied to thelower spray ring will flow through the filter.

The cylinder 'wall 1 is closedby means of the cover 40, which is equipped with a spring closed blow-oil valve ll. an interior lining or facing 42, of sheet metal, which is formed to provide annular drain collecting beads or rings 43, which are located near the outer edge thereof, While the central area of this facing plate is dished upwardly to provide a self draining dome it.

The cover is hinged on one side at 45, and is clamped at 46 on the opposite side, and the upper end of the cylinder wall 7 is formed with an internal drainage flanged! which lies contiguous to the drain collecting rings or beads 43.

The small partsto be cleaned are placed on the screen, cleansing fluid in supplied to the tank 28, through the filler 28a, and air pressure is supplied to the tank, through the operation of the manual or foot operated .valve, Immediately after the cleansing fluid is released by the force of the pressure air, sprays flow from the central nozzle, the lower spray ring and the upper spray ring; In this way the upper and bottom, surfaces of the parts supported on the screen are exposed at the same time to the scouring and rinsing action of the cleaning fluid, under such controlled pressure as will best suit the work.

All used cleaning fluid is returned to the filter and then to the supply tank, after being filtered, and may be'used repeatedly, until its usefulness ceases.

My improved machine reduces the time and cost of cleaning parts, and improves the Work as This cover is provided with a result of the use of a controlled pressure for applying the cleaning fluid through sprays against the work. The air can be accumulated in suitable air tanks, by automatic air compressing equipment, governed to maintain a controlled pressure limit.

Having described my invention I claim as new:

A cleaning machine comprising a vessel, a horizontally disposed article supportinggrid supported within the vessel intermediate the upper and lower ends thereof, a lower horizontally disposed spray ring supported within the vessel immediately below the supporting grid, said spray ring having upwardly directed spray passages therein, an upper horizontally disposed spray ring supported within the vessel in spaced relation to. the; supporti ri said pp pr y r being concentric about the lower spray ring and having downwardly directed spray passages therein, a spray nozzle extending upwardly and axially through the lower spray ringand supporting grid, said spray nozzle having upwardly directed spray passages therein and'a common source of liquid supply coupled to the spray'rings and nozzle for supplying spray liquidthereto.

HAROLD w. BEACH.

REFERENCES erran- The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

